Nineteen
" Kalimera , mikrí mou." The words, whispered to her ear in a sexy, sleep-rough tone, jerked Pippi out of her dreams. It almost sounded like there was a man sleeping next to her, and the thought had her eyes flying open.
Oh. My. God.
There was a man lying next to her. He was beautiful and completely naked. He was also smirking at her, and it was this that had her sitting up in shock, her head whipping to this side and that as she struggled to comprehend what she had woken up to. This couldn't be real, could it?
She looked around her again and found her answer in the faded colors of butterfly wing patterns on the wallpaper. They were lovely and familiar, a charming trademark of the Monarch Room, but more than that, it also meant all of this was... real.
Almost on cue, one tanned, strong hand curved around her nape to pull her close. Pippi had the quickest glimpse of a bare-chested Acheron, the sheets having fallen to his waist, and then his lips were covering hers, and there wasn't any time to think again.
His tongue demanded entry, and her lips immediately gave way. It was an intensely possessive kiss, the kind that left no space for her to think. All she could do was submit, and when he finally lifted his head, she was only able to gaze up at him dazedly, a part of her still reeling from the hard, beautiful reality of having Acheron next to her in bed.
She couldn't be...she couldn't have...she couldn't...
But then memories, made undeniable by their utter vividness, began crowding her mind, and Pippi cringed.
Oh no.
Everything was coming back to her now, and oh, how innocent it had started.
I've leased the whole place, he had told her so very casually, like it was normal for people to rent entire B&Bs on a whim.
If everyone's already in bed as you say they are, he had cajoled, then can you not sleep in my arms tonight?
And she had said actually said yes , Pippi recalled with another cringe. When she should've said no and run away as fast as she could, she had instead said yes to spending the night with him, and after that, it had been just one shock after another.
Is it alright with you that I prefer to sleep naked?
WHAT?
But by then it had been too late. Acheron had already stepped out of the shower and was in the process of unwrapping the teensy weensy white towel around his hips. And when the fluffy piece of fabric had fallen to the ground, her jaw had fallen along with it.
While she was no saint and had seen her fair share of porn, Pippi had never seen any man naked in person...and when she had blurted out as much to Acheron, she had been doubly amazed to see his already-huge cock grow even larger and longer.
'That's monstrous.' She had whispered the words unthinkingly, and her face had flamed as soon as she realized she had spoken her thought out loud. She had started to apologize, but the words had died in her throat the moment she saw the look in his eyes.
It had been that look again, only it had been so much wilder. He hadn't just wanted to eat her. Last night, it had seemed like he had wanted to devour her, but as much as the realization terrified her, it had excited her, too—-
And Acheron had known it.
'Come here.' An arrogant crook of his fingers that should've incensed her, but it had only made Pippi feel light-headed as a creamy rush of moisture had her silk panties soaking wet in seconds.
Her every step had been a struggle, her heart hammering so hard she had barely heard anything over it. Naked. Alone. Room. The words had made her feel dizzy, and she had felt like she was walking on a tightrope. By the time she finally reached Acheron, she was a trembling, wet mess, and when she felt his hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her down in a silent command to make her kneel—-
She had done so without a qualm, her breasts actually swelling with shameless anticipation at what could happen now that she was on her knees.
' Would you like to learn how to pleasure this monster, mikrí mou?'
If anyone else had uttered the words, it would have sounded ludicrous and cartoonish. But because it had been Acheron Simonides saying them - to her - the words had only made Pippi's nipples tighten with burning need.
Answer me, Pippi.
Do you want my cock in your mouth?
Looking up into his black-as-midnight eyes, she had only been able to whisper, 'Yes'.
Yes, she had wanted to learn how to pleasure him.
Yes, she had wanted his cock in her mouth.
Yes, yes, yes!
And so his cock had gone into her mouth, and it had been nothing like she imagined. Velvet and steel, salt and earth, raw and masculine - all the splendid things that made one a man. With every drop of his pre-cum flavoring her tongue, she had felt her head spinning faster and faster, her control slipping further and further until all her thoughts were gone, and the only thing left was the soft, rough feel of his manhood sliding back and forth against her lips——
STOP!
Pippi hastily reined her thoughts in the moment she felt telltale wetness pooling between her thighs. Oh dear Lord, to be aroused by mere memories—-
"Reliving last night, mikrí mou? " Acheron asked silkily, having detected the sudden flush in her cheeks.
"L-Last night?" The shrillness of her voice made Pippi cringe anew. "What do you mean? There's nothing about last night to relive—-"
"Is that so?" Acheron drawled. "Then perhaps I need to refresh your memory..."
She saw him leaning towards her and panicked. "Actually, I do remember after all, and they're all sufficiently shameless and lewd, thank you very much."
Acheron threw his head back with a laugh.
"It's not funny," she muttered. "I don't even know how I'll ever be able to look at myself in the mirror—-"
"We didn't do anything wrong, baby," he cut her off gently.
"But I slept with you."
"Slept being the operative word."
"And you were nude!"
"Which isn't a crime," he countered.
"Even so!"
He rubbed his jaw, saying, "I guess that means you're not amenable to sharing the shower—-" She was out of the room in a flash, and just as the door closed, he caught a glimpse of her accidentally bumping into a groggy-looking Rue.
A moment later, he heard Pippi moan, followed by the unmistakable sound of Rue's voice saying very loudly, OH MY GOD, PIPPI JUST CAME OUT OF ACHERON'S ROOM!
This had him heading to the shower with a grin, and when Acheron came down to join the Jones family for breakfast, he was further amused to see the others weren't done ribbing their big sister. Even Astrid had joined in the fun, with the older woman asking Pippi so very innocently, "Would you like some sausages, dear - or have you already had your fill?"
"Oh my God, MOM!"
It had everyone in tears, but what truly had the whole family nearly falling off their seats was when Acheron joined the conversation. His handsome face grave, he turned to Astrid, saying, "You have my word that your daughter shall never go hungry for, err, sausages—-"
"Acheron, my God!"
The look on Pippi's face was priceless, and as there was nothing like a common enemy - or, in this case, a common person to torment - to create strong bonds, by the time Acheron and Pippi had to leave for work, it was as if he was already one of them.
Rue made him promise to help her with schoolwork, Astrid insisted on giving him a packed lunch similar to Pippi's, and even her impudent trio of aunts had their moment, with Acheron given a list of what they wanted for tonight's dinner.
It was, all in all, a good way to start the day , Acheron reflected as he followed Pippi out of the house. Even her neighbors were a rather nice bunch, with the widow living across the street understandably giving him the evil eye the moment she saw him place his hand on the small of Pippi's back.
"Your neighbor looks like she's just one scowl away from calling 911 and reporting an abduction," he murmured.
"Well, you did choose a rather disreputable-looking disguise." A smile tugged at her lips as she looked at him. Fake, greasy, shoulder-length grey hair and a Jesus Christ beard, a metal choker and ripped jeans - he definitely didn't look anything like his usual self. "What exactly are you supposed to be anyway?" she couldn't help asking. "Mel Gibson turns aging rockstar?"
"Good description," he acknowledged, "but as it's also better to keep things simple, just think of me as Mr. William Harney, a struggling writer hoping to find inspiration in Isla de Flores."
"That's your idea of a writer?" The sound of Pippi's laughter trailed after her as she stepped inside Wickham's car rental for the day, a ten-year-old Toyota with peeling faux leather seats and a Care Bears sticker on its rear windshield.
As Wickham turned the car around, Acheron saw one of Pippi's aunts coming out and waving at the suspicious-looking neighbor, effectively distracting the latter.
Smart of her, but more importantly, it also spoke volumes of how natural it was for Pippi's family to protect each other...unlike his own flesh and blood.
Pippi was startled when Acheron suddenly drew her close and felt his lips touch the top of her head. When she looked up at him in askance, he said rather gruffly, "I like your family a lot, mikrí mou ."
Acheron felt a mixture of emotions at seeing Pippi's whole face light up at his words. The sight unintentionally reminded him of the many times his former lovers had looked him the same way, but they had only done so because he had gifted them with something extravagant.
But Pippi was different.
She had always been different, but whether that was a good thing or not...
Allá ti ēi moi taùta perí drun ē perí pétrēn, Acheron thought. It was a Greek saying similar to the English proverb that spoke of people making mountains out of molehills, and right now that was exactly what he intended to stop doing.
For now, it was best to take things one fucking day at a time.